KINGSWEAR Parish Council is planning to send a letter to 33 residents who signed a petition accusing three councillors of acting in their own interests and not those of the village.

The petition was presented by Robert Lovell at the September meeting of the council, after months of difficult discussions over a proposed children’s playground on Jubilee Park.

It accused Cllrs Elizabeth Essex, Lucy Payne and Jan Henshall, of ‘self-interest’ and requested they no longer vote on issues until a parish poll for their council seats is carried out.

The letter, drafted by the three councillors for the parish clerk to send and read out at this week’s parish council meeting, was as follows: ‘I am writing to you on instructions from Kingswear Parish Council.

‘At the council meeting on the 8th September, 2015, a petition alleging that Cllrs Essex, Payne and Henshall had breached the Nolan code of conduct was read out and you are one of the signat­ories. This petition was an attack on the integrity of these councillors.

‘We would ask you to supply evidence for your allegations or to withdraw them by sending an unreserved apology for the upset and stress caused.

‘In the event that satisfactory apologies are received via the parish clerk, and in an effort to contribute to the future tranquillity of the parish, the legal process started by Cllr Essex will be withdrawn.

‘Kingswear Parish Council welcomes any parishioner informing us of their concerns. The appropriate way to do this is by raising it with a councillor or writing a letter to the council.

‘We believe it is irresponsible to say the least to humiliate and hurt any person by publicly reading out a seemingly defamatory letter.

‘We would invite you to inform us if you had no knowledge that the petition was going to be read out in public session of the council and also who asked you to sign it.

‘Finally if you do have concerns please do write to us so we can address them.’

Cllr Payne said the letter was attempt to avoid any legal action by Cllr Essex against the signatories.

Council chairman Jonathan Hawkins, who opposed the proposal to send the letter, said he thought the signatories had ‘asked for a public poll, which they have a right to do’.

He added: ‘People have been accusing me of instigating that, and I can assure you I did not.’

Councillors voted to send the letter, but town clerk Rob Barber said he would take advice from Lesley Smith at the Devon Association of Local Councils before he did.

Ms Smith told the Chronicle she could not comment on the letter. However, she said: ‘I hope, of course, that the people of Kingswear can resolve their differences so the council as a whole can concentrate on their work for the community.’